Funeral Potatoes and Other Secrets to Happiness

It seems like every other day there’s an article on the web about what really makes us happy. I think it’s the small things. Tonight my daughter came up to me and said, “My head hurts, Mom.” I reached over to give her a squeeze and hit something cold. She had tied an ice pack around her head with one of my scarves. That just made me laugh. But the experts don’t think the same way. They have a formula for happiness. Here it is, along with my comments. Feel free to let me know what you think.


1. Being married. I think it’s all about sharing your life with someone who’s willing to look out for you. In that case you validate each other’s existence. That’s the only reason you can explain why connecting with your hubby for the first time in 16 hours, over dish duty, makes me happy.

2. Going to Church Every Week. I’m a big fan of faith. The world can be downright depressing—especially if you have the bad fortune of watching the news on any given night. I have to believe in the good stuff, even if it seems like an uphill climb.

3. Living Where It’s Sunny. Yes, yes and more yes. I moved away from the snow for a reason. It’s cold. And I’m actually three times happier tan than I am when I’m white.

4. If You’re A Man Then You Need To Be Employed. If you’re a woman you probably have a paying job and a whole truckload of unpaid jobs too. I’m pretty sure most of us would be happy to give up a few jobs.

5. Good Health. I just don’t see the appeal of carting around your own oxygen tank. It’s not the kind of accessory that makes you grin like a fool, a Dooney bag is much more my speed.

6. Time for Family, Friends, and Community. Believe it or not, this one is getting tougher and tougher to come by. We’re working longer hours and we’re suddenly content spending the evening with Gossip Girl or the Vampire Diaries. So, when I invite you to Girls Night Out, you need to say “yes.” Quit checking your schedule—you just need to come along—that’s what DVR’s are for anyway.

7. Giving. Not really a problem for any woman I know. We know how to give. Time, money and funeral potatoes—we’ve got it covered. And we feel guilty that we can’t give more. Like I said, women have this one covered.

8. Good Urban Design. This one made me laugh because it sounds like a political statement or an advertisement for some home builder, but it turns out that we’re happier if we’re sitting out on the front porch and waving to our neighbors. Of course, I’ve lived in a few neighborhoods where people hang out in their garages, sitting in lawn chairs with a big cooler next to them and I couldn’t decide if they were neighborly, nosy or just trying to avoid their wives.